PM places six proposals before world to stop random use of antibiotics

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today stressed the need for immediate global actions to decrease careless and indiscriminate use of antibiotics to effectively fight the silently emerging antimicrobial resistance that could endanger mankind.

In a recorded speech aired in the inaugural meeting of the One Health Global Leaders' Group on Anti-microbial Resistance, she placed six proposals to fight the antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Her propels include strict implementation of the laws, stopping selling antimicrobial products without prescription and promoting research in the area of the AMR.

"Humankind is facing one of the gravest threats due to the Covid-19 pandemic for more than a year now. However, the silently emerging antimicrobial resistance could endanger all of the significant advances of modern medicine," said Sheikh Hasina

"If we cannot control the careless and indiscriminate use of the antibiotics at this moment, we will see more frequent and even more deadly pandemics in future," she added.

The Prime Minister further said that without immediate action by the global community, antimicrobial resistance is going to be a major threat to the existence of mankind.

The WHO (World Health Organisation), FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) and OIE organized the meeting at Geneva in Switzerland.

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, Director Generals of WHO, FAO and OIE spoke at the function.

Sheikh Hasina, also co-chair of One Health Global Leaders' Group, said though the World Health Assembly resolution of 1998 decided to fight against this resistance, "we are far from reaching our goal to prevent this threat. As a result, we need to promote and ensure rational use of antimicrobial agents in human health, livestock, fisheries and agricultural sectors. "

"To prevent the impending catastrophe, I would like to suggest the following, firstly strict implementation of laws and rules to control the production, quality control and marketing of Antimicrobial agents," she said.

In the second proposal, the premier said that comprehensive laboratory based surveillance systems need to be established for human, fisheries and animal.

Placing the third one, she said that selling of antimicrobial products without prescription of the authorized person needs to be strictly prohibited.

The Prime Minister in her fourth proposal made a suggestion to promote basic, experimental and operational research in the area of AMR with allocation of necessary budgets.

In her fifth suggestion, she proposed establishment of high-level advocacy, communication and social mobilization mechanisms to regulate the unnecessary use of antimicrobials.

And in the sixth proposal, Sheikh Hasina said that finally, political goodwill and focus of the global leaders for strict implementation are crucial and the support from FAO, OIE, WHO, UN Environment and other international and regional entities is indispensable in this process.

Expressing her happiness for joining the meeting, Sheikh Hasina said, "I am happy to see a large number of policy-makers of various countries today with us to finalize an action plan with their ideas and visions."

The Prime Minister strongly hoped that the discussion over two days will help the global leaders to firm up the action plan for taking immediate measures.

"I am confident that with our coordinated efforts, our Group would be successful to establish this issue as a vital mainstream health concern and will present concrete recommendations to overcome this grave crisis," she said.